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Penguin to offer first chapters of books for free download

14/03/2008

Penguin has confirmed that it will offer the first chapter of all of its new releases for free download.

The publishing house has said that from March 17th the opening chapters of more than 50 books will be made available online, with the library added to from each new release on a monthly basis.

After a six-month trial scheme at penguin.co.uk, the book giant will offer downloadable PDF files of its new releases, allowing users to browse the opening chapter online, as well as accessing the file via their iPhone or Blackberry.

With the Penguin Tasters initiative, customers will also be able to email the files as an attachment and can print the PDF file if they wish to retain a sense of tradition.

Anna Rafferty, Penguin's digital marketing director, said allowing readers the chance to browse through an opening chapter free of charge was not a risky venture.

"The idea of a reader picking up a book in a bookshop and reading a paragraph or two before making the commitment to the whole text is really nothing new, except in an online context," she explained.

"The addition of Penguin Tasters to www.penguin.co.uk is in line with our existing online marketing mission - to delight readers at every opportunity - and will allow those readers to get a preview of the books they've been waiting for as well as encouraging them to try something new."

Upcoming releases from Penguin include Perilous Power by Noam Chomsky and the paperback version of Nick Hornby's Slam.